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VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Chemistry => Topic started by: golden on June 14, 2012, 01:27:10 pm

Title: Geometry around the central atom
Post by: golden on June 14, 2012, 01:27:10 pm

Would the geometry around the central atom take into account the lone pairs as well or do we just leave that out and only count the bonding pairs? I'm guessing it does? This is just to double check.

Title: Re: Geometry around the central atom
Post by: amilss on June 14, 2012, 02:56:34 pm

Yes it takes into account lone pairs cause they exert a negative charge cloud, repelling other bonded electrons.
Eg h2o is a bent molecule due to lone pair on oxygen

Title: Re: Geometry around the central atom
Post by: golden on June 16, 2012, 10:31:02 am

Thanks, I guess I should have  reworded it, because that wasn't my question. Sorry lol!
I wanted to say does water classify as having a bent or tetrahedral geometry given that if we consider the lone pairs it is tetrahedral but if we only consider bonding electrons it is tetrahedral.

I know for sure that it would have a tetrahedral electron pair geometry, and bent molecular geometry, but I was doing some questions where it didn't have answers and the questions just asked what is the geometry of the central atom?